


Judgement Day

by SapphicToaster



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Bernadetta von Varley Needs a Hug, Canon-Typical Violence, F/F, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Black Eagles Route, Homophobia, Physical Abuse, Post-Black Eagles Route (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), Verbal Abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-02
Updated: 2020-09-02
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:08:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,576
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26247694
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SapphicToaster/pseuds/SapphicToaster
Summary: The Black Eagles enter the base of those who slither in the dark. Bernadetta encounters a particularly horrifying soldier.
Relationships: Edelgard von Hresvelg/Bernadetta von Varley
Kudos: 13





	Judgement Day

**Author's Note:**

> My third fic. This was very emotionally draining to write, but also pretty cathartic.

After years of searching for it, the Black Eagle Strike Force had entered Shambala. The Strike Force had grown exponentially in the past few years, plus they had the aid of Claude’s army. Those who slither in the dark’s destructive technology had developed even more during those years. If they didn’t succeed at destroying the slitherers, the world was sure to be plunged into eternal darkness.

As the battle raged on, one seemingly unremarkable beaked mage had been quietly waiting for the perfect moment to ambush Bernadetta. The sniper took out a group of soldiers in an isolated area, and the mage cornered her. Bernie fired two arrows from The Inexhaustible that punctured his arm.

“Dammit!”

That voice sounded familiar to her, but she brushed it off. It couldn’t possibly be… him. The mage cast a Miasma, but Bernie was able to swiftly dodge it. She counterattacked with an arrow that delivered a critical blast to his face. It was enough to shatter his mask and make his hood fall down. The man’s purple hair and beard were all too recognizable, which horrified Bernadetta to the core.

“F-father?”

“Why yes, Bernadetta, it is your old man.”

“What the fuck are you doing here? You died trying to escape your house arrest!”

“Or some of these fellows disguised themselves as guards, busted me out, and planted a fake corpse in my place. They promised me great wealth if I aided them.”

Count Varley fired a Thoron, and it missed. 

“But that’s not the true reason I joined them. I knew they’d teach me dark magic and infuse my body with ultimate resilience. Just the power I needed to get revenge on you!”

He cast a second Thoron, and Bernie was unable to avoid it. 

“You were supposed to be a submissive housewife to a nobleman! You were supposed produce more crest-bearing babies! But no, you just had to marry the woman who arrested me! The one who destroyed the system that would’ve made me rich to the bone! Of course, my failure of a daughter fucked that filthy emperor!” 

Bernie fired four consecutive arrows that pierced his chest. 

“M-my Edelgard has given me the warmth I was denied my entire life, you bastard!” 

Varley cast a Dark Spikes that brought Bernie to her knees. 

“Now now, you know better than to talk back to your father!” 

Bernadetta switched to her silver lance and charged at him, but he yanked it out of her hands and threw it to the side. He retaliated with an extra powerful Miasma, which knocked Bernadetta to the floor. Varley leered over her. 

“They call you “The Bear of Varley”, what a joke! You’re a stain on the Varley lineage! Even if those idiots think you’re brave, I know you’ll always be a pathetic squirming coward until the very end!” 

Bernie’s bones weren’t completely broken, but the same couldn’t be said for her spirit. Her self-loathing had decreased over the years, but his cruel words still managed to get to her. The years of abuse had rapidly replayed in her mind. Bernadetta was using what little strength remained to try and hold in her tears, yet they still flowed out. 

“Oh, and such a crybaby too! You know exactly what I do when you get this way!” 

Varley stored his tomes away, and started beating her. She was barley able to defend herself from the blows. 

“Just like old times!” 

As he was continuing to attack, he heard a yell nearby. They had been found.

Edelgard jumped out and struck Varley in the head with Amyr. The blow was powerful enough to knock out some teeth. 

“Don’t ever touch Bernie again!” 

“El, thank g-goodness you’re here!” 

“Bernie, take this time to rest while I finish this bastard off. I’m out of concoctions, but I’ll get you to someone with healing magic after this.” 

Varley got up from his knees spit up a pile of blood. 

“Look which whore finally decided to show up! I’ll take delight in ravaging you!” 

He cast a Dark Spikes, which El dodged. In return, she gave him multiple blows to the stomach. He did hit her with a Miasma, but the emperor charged right through it, and her glowing axe continued to tear into his flesh. Varley knew that it was impossible to stand up to her at this point. He feigned surrender, and El was getting ready to execute him. 

“Count Varley, you are a blight on humanity! My Bernadetta has told me detailed accounts of all of your horrific actions against her! Even after all the torture I was put through, it was still shocking just how monstrous someone could be!” 

As El was preparing to behead him, he started laughing. 

“Is that all you have to say in your final moments? A fitting end for someone like you!”

Varley had one last nasty trick up his sleeve. He cast a Meteor above Bernadetta. As it was forming, Edelgard rushed in to defend her. She was able to reduce the impact with her shield. Still, Bernadetta had been rendered unconscious by the explosion, and Edelgard also took severe damage. Edelgard threw a tomahawk at Varley, and he avoided it swiftly. He retaliated with a Thoron, that Edelgard was barely able to shield. Edelgard threw a second tomahawk, which barely scrapped his hand. 

“What, you’re not going to come any closer. Oh, I see you’re too busy protecting my useless daughter to move!” 

He was preparing to cast a spell, but was distracted by the sounds of incoming hoof steps.

“I smell blood. Repulsive, even by the standards of these vermin.” 

Jeritza appeared from the shadows and struck Varley with the Scythe of Sariel. 

“Well if it isn’t the Death Knight. I’ve heard that my failure is your friend. Taking pity on a serial killer; what an idiot she is!” 

“I attempt to reserve my kills for those who truly stand in my way. And you deserve only the most painful and slow death imaginable.” 

Jeritza threw a concoction to Edelgard. 

“Take this time to heal Bernadetta, while I torment this fiend.” 

She poured the concoction in Bernie’s mouth. Her eyes slowly opened. 

“I-I’m still alive?” 

El placed a hand on Bernie’s cheek. 

“Yes, you are. I was so afraid that I had lost you.” 

Bernie’s vision was still a bit blurry, but she could’ve sworn that she had witnessed El tearing up, which was particularly rare for her. The concoction was able to keep Bernie alive, but she still was not healed enough to get back into the fight. Meanwhile, Jeritza and Varley were still battling. Varley kept casting Dark Spikes, but Jeritza kept avoiding them. 

“That old spell no longer fazes me!” 

Jeritza blasted him with his own Thoron. Varley still had one Meteor tome left, and he was going to use it right there. But before he could cast the spell, Varley was hit with a Silence, rendering him unable to use his tomes. 

“What the?” 

Hubert had arrived onto the scene. 

“Oh, when you die, you should feel powerless. Just as poor Bernadetta was when you inflicted your abuse.” 

“Well I don’t need these pathetic tomes anyway! I’ll kill you all with my fists!” 

Varley attempted to punch Hubert. His fists were too sluggish to land. Hubert let out his signature laugh before retaliating with a Dark Spikes of his own. 

“Give up now. You’re only delaying the inevitable.” 

Varley knew he was outmatched, and he was a true coward. He couldn’t run away, because he was surrounded. The only option he had was to do was climb up the wall. But as he attempted to scale the wall, he noticed Yuri standing on top of it.

“Where do you think you’re going?” 

Yuri then stabbed Varley with his rapier, causing him to fall down. 

“You… you’re that commoner boy. I thought I had you beaten to death!” 

“Well, I have a way around things.” 

“Fuck it, I’m going to finish that job myself!” 

Varley recklessly charged at Yuri, who gracefully leapt right over him. 

“To think that I was meant to be Bernadetta’s assassin, yet now I’m protecting her at this crucial moment. And I’ve learned the truth about you. You didn’t care about her, only your status!” 

Yuri casted a critical Aura that knocked Varley to the ground. And this time he wouldn’t get back up. He was at death’s door now.

Yuri used his healing magic to restore Bernadetta’s health. 

“I think you should be the one that gets to finish him off.” 

“You’re right. After everything he’s done, I’m finally going to end my father once and for all!” 

Bernadetta walked over to Varley, with the others right behind her. The only thing the disgraced count could do was beg for mercy, but Bernie wasn’t going to give him the chance. There could be no redemption for someone this vile. Bernadetta brought out her brave bow to deliver the final blow. The arrow was lodged in Varley’s throat. He let out one last bloodcurdling hack before he finally died. Bernie needed some time to process what just happened. The man who tormented her during her whole childhood was lying lifeless. And it was at her hands. Bernadetta had never felt more relieved in her life. However, the battle against those who slither in the dark was still far from over. They all moved forward to face even greater threats.


End file.
